During fabrication of semiconductor chips, wafers are processed in reactors which can accomplish various steps associated with the definition of the functionality of the semiconductor chip. Such reactors can, for example, perform deposition and etching processes through the use of various gases which are part of the fabrication process. During the etch process, by way of example, gaseous input materials as well as materials from the substrate being etched and combinations thereof can be deposited on the internal surface present in the reactor itself. Such surfaces include reactor walls, reactor electrodes, the reactor chuck and the like. Each processing tool, depending on the processing run, will have a regular scheduled down period during which the internal surfaces of the reactor will be cleaned and parts such as electrodes will be repaired and/or replaced.
The deposits which form on the various surfaces found in the reactor are known to have a detrimental effect to the fabrication of the semiconductor wafer product in the reactor. By way of example only, such deposits and layers on surfaces of the reactor can be thick and have poor reactor surface adhesion qualities. Additionally, the deposits or layers may not be very durable. All this potentially leads to the flaking or spaulding off of portions of the deposits or layers from the surfaces of the reactor. Such flaking or spaulding can interfere with the uniform processing of the surface of the wafer. For example, materials which flake or spauld from the surface of a reactor can redeposit on the surface of the wafer being processed, potentially damaging the functionality being fabricated on the wafer.